Neighbours of an art deco hotel closed eight months ago have complained it is being left to decay.

The Grand Ocean Hotel, which has attracted top Hollywood stars including Bette Davis to holiday on Saltdean seafront, was closed for good in January.

It was earmarked for redevelopment into flats but has been left to stand idle and has become a target for vandals.

Plans to convert the upper floors of the hotel into flats and use the ground floor as a community space or doctors' surgery were approved by Brighton and Hove City Council in June.

Residents and visitors to Saltdean fear its continued derelict state is taking its toll.

Many windows have been smashed by vandals and the building is beginning to look in a state of disrepair.

Regular guest David Dann said: "I am currently staying at Rottingdean on my usual summer break, having stayed at the Grand Ocean over the past 35 years.

"I am appalled at the vandalism and total neglect of such a great structure."

Mr Dann said he was disappointed with the "deplorable" state of the hotel.

The building was opened in 1938 and was used by the fire service and the Army during the Second World War. In the Fifties it was bought by Sir Billy Butlin and turned into a "leisure hotel". In its heyday, it could cater for 700 guests.

Under plans for renovation, the gardens and original staircase will be refurbished while later extensions to the building will be demolished to make way for four blocks of flats. More than one third of the 279 flats will be affordable housing and parking for 210 cars will be provided.

The applications were approved on condition developer JG Brighton provides £343,500 for community use, £108,000 for sustainable transport, £107,308 to local schools and £37,500 for public art on the site. Former Telscombe mayor and Lewes district councillor Marina Pepper said: "It's a shame to see broken windows.

"This level of vandalism is caused by poor security and kids are getting under the fencing and taking aim.

"What we need is for the developers to get on with it."

Lynda Hyde, a Brighton and Hove city councillor for the Rottingdean Coastal ward, said: "It has got all the planning permission. Now we're just waiting. Residents and the residents' association are very keen for it to get started.

"It's beginning to cause some anxiety."

No one at JG Brighton was available to comment on the progress of the development.